Shoe heaven

So how versatile can one pair of boots be?  This is the question M&S asked me and I was only too keen to try and answer.  The challenge was to choose one pair of boots and see how many ways I could style them. 

Well, following on from my blog the other week, where I confessed my love for the High Street store, which pair to pick was easy. 

There are so so many different pairs of ankle boots out there but actually, finding ones that work for a variety of outfits, is pretty hard.   Especially if we're looking for flat.  At the moment, I cannot get enough of flat footwear.

Love my sneakers, love my loafers but can't deny any longer than full on Autumn is around the corner and a pair of boots are the only things are going to cut it.  Rainy days (I am not going to mention snow just yet - that's a whole other blog) and bare ankles are not a match made in heaven, so it's boots that I am after with a vengeance. 

I was looking for boots that would work with the same outfits that my trusty and much loved sneakers work with.  So skirts and dresses - be them maxi or midi (dare I say these would work with a mini as well?), jeans, cropped trousers and my beloved leather leggings.  They needed to be smart but still practical (just not dog walking/rugby touchlines practical...) and they need to be cool (there isn't a cool way of saying cool so I'm sticking with cool...).  I also wanted them to be slightly different.  Not trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to footwear, but I was hoping to find something different from the masses of ankle boots that all look ever so slightly the same elsewhere on the high street.

And I think I've found the perfect pair. 

I had my eye on them before, but now I've tried them on with a host of outfits and they are definite keepers.  The best thing about them is the slightly androgynous edge they give to otherwise very feminine outfits.  Not to mention the "keeping your ankles dry and being ridiculously comfortable" element.

Leather Lace Up Ankle Boots £85

So here's how I've styled them and will be wearing them in the coming months.  It suddenly seems an awfully long time till Spring.  However that needn't stop us wearing our Summer maxi and midi dresses with a leather jacket and... leather ankle boots. 





Leather Lace Up Ankle Boots £85
Wide leg cropped trousers - Me+Em
Breton jumper - H&M
Faux leather jacket - Zara

There are of course the new midi skirts for Winter that are ideal dressed up for the evening but are the perfect casual alternative, dressed down with a pair of lace up boots.



Leather Lace Up Ankle Boots £85
Black jumper - Tommy Hilfiger
Leopard print coat - Fenn Wright Manson
Black bag - Village England

If you don't feel that you're quite ready for boots yet, fear not, there are lots of other great flat options.  I could happily line all of these up in my wardrobe. 

Leather Lace Up Trainers £49.50



Here's how great these look on...



Or - you can never have too much leopard and seeing as we've established it's a neutral... (they didn't have these instore in my size, darn it)

Autograph Leather Lace Up Trainers £49.50



But then there are these... oh how gorgeous are these?

Pointed Toe Ballerina Pump £29.50



Ta dah!



Although of course M&S do have their "walking on angel's breath" secret addition to most of their shoes now.  Clearly that's not the technical term but it's what I always like to think. Here's what it very cleverly, actually does.

"Insolia redistributes your weight away from the balls of your feet, reducing pressure and increasing ankle stability, allowing you to wear your heels comfortably all day long.  Insolia is endorsed by the UK College of Podiatrists".  

Good eh?  Which is why I have also bought a pair of their strappy heels.  These are beyond amazing.  They do a couple of pairs in this style but I went for the more reasonable pair in patent.  Why?  And why not the leopard pair which you would think have my name written all over them?.  The number of straps.  I liked the extra straps that the patent ones had.  And can you ever have too many pairs of black shoes?  (clearly you can say the same about the leopard ones....)

Multi Strap Point Court Shoes with Insolia £29.50




Double Strap Point Court Shoes £49.50




And speaking of leopard - these are the ones I think will make their way into my basket very shortly.  The ones above - as much as angels would be stroking your feet as you walk - are high.  There is no getting away from that.  Completely walkable in and super comfortable but I know that not everyone does like quite so high a heel.  For every day, these would be perhaps more easily wearable.

Point Court with Insolia £19.50



Mid heels galore and others that I have my eye on as I've mentioned how much I love them, are the ankle strap suede shoes. 

Stain Away Ankle Strap Chestnut Shoes with Insolia £45




Which they also do in the universally useful black... again £45



I couldn't leave though without boots which are simply so gorgeous I had to include them.  If you are in the market for a pair of heeled ankle boots (and these are on the high side) then look no further. 

Wide Fit Platform Ankle Boots £39.50



Or.. and be still my beating heart that doesn't have the lifestyle to justify a pair of boots this gorgeous seeing as I've just bought heeled going out shoes, but maybe one day....

Tie Detail Ankle Boots with Insolia in Grey £69



So here I am in the heels that I absolutely and utterly adore and will be wearing at every given opportunity (that I have to wear heels that is...) 




Multi Strap Heels - M&S
Dress - Self Portrait
Clutch bag - Village England



Multi Strap heels - M&S
Black crepe top - Zara
Phoebe jeans - MiH
Sequin Jacket - Zadig & Voltaire
Thurlaston clutch - Village England
Necklaces - Chambers & Beau

So that's me sorted for ankle boots and heels for this Autumn, with all my bases covered.  However really spoilt for choice this year at M&S.  In complete shoe heaven... which would get your vote?